Harp.



M. A. CLARK.

HARP.

APPLICATION FILED N 0V.28,1911.

1,105,879. Patented Aug.4,1914.

2 SHEETS-BEBE! 1.

ii. a. 4/14 M. A. CLARK.

HARP.

APPLICATION FILED 110v. 28, 1911.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

I MELVILLE A. CLARK, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

To all whomit may concernl'qr 1 Be it known that I, MELVILLE' Grams, "of Syracuse,in the county of Onondaga, 1n the state of New York, have'iinvented new and useful Improvements 'in iHarps, of which the following, taken in; connection with the' 'a'ccompanyingdrawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.- i5

This invention relates to certain improvementsinharps of'the' class set forth in my Patent No." 1,00,157-October 10, 1911 except that thebridge pins "a-re omitted'and the strings are normally "drawn in straight lines from the tuning -pins"-to .their points of attachment to' the sounding board.

The main object=-is 't0""increa'se' the vibratorylength of the strings without actuallylengthenin'g them orincreasing the size of t-he-string-support-ing frame which is accomplished by omitting" the usual bridge pins and allowing each stringto 'vibrate from" its tuning pin to'its point ofeonnection with sounding board. In other word sl I have sought to- 'produce' a comparatively r i and easily portable '{harp with a"volu'me and quality of tone equal to or exceeding thatof 'simijlarinstruments of much larger size. I

Another-object is to provide means, for fretting the strings at will to change'the pitch thereof. I I

Other bbjects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings:''-Figure-1 is a face view of a portion of the neck of a'harp showing adjacent portions'of the strings, tuning pins and fret keys. I Fig. 2 is a top plan partly in section' of the mechanism shown in Figfl. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the neck of the harp showing one of the tuning pins and adj acent portion of its string and also showing one of the fret keys and sleeve in which it is journaled, the-sleeve being shown in section. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged transverse sectional views through one of the fret keys and sleeve taken respectively on lines H and 55, Fig. 3, the fret key being shown in its normal position in Fig. 4 and in position for withdrawal from the sleeve in Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is an enlarged end view of the fret key and sleeve together with the adjacent portion of the string and retracting spring for the fret key, the latter being shown in its fretting position. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the detached fret key.

"' Specification of Letters Patent.

YHARP.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

. Application'filedNovember28, 1911. Seria1No.G62,858.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the detached sleeves. In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have shown the neck as A of a harp having the usual hollow standard, sounding board and pillar, not shown. The neck A is provided near its upper longitudinal edge with a row of apertures 1 for receiving a corresponding number of tapering tuning pins 2- which are tightly fitted therein and extend some distance beyond opposite faces thereof, said neck being also provided near its lower longitudinal edge with aseries of sockets -3- opening from one side thereof nearest the strings for receiving a corresponding number of metal sleeves or journal bearings one for each tuning pin and preferably located substantially midway between the strings as b. A series of fret keys 5 are provided with reduced cylindrical ends -6 journaled in the sleeves 4 and are provided with eccentric portions 7 at the outer ends of the sleeves to contact with and do tlect the adjacent portions of the strings for changing the pitch thereof, as, for example, in sharping or raising the pitch a half tone. Each of the sleeves 4 may be driven or otherwise forced with a tight fit into its aperture 3 and'is provided with one or more fins 10- on the periphery thereof for holding it against turning or endwise displacement, said sleeve being also divided through one side to form a lengthwise slot ll for receiving a fin 12 on'the inner end of the reduced portion 6 of the fret 5 to permit said key to be inserted into and withdrawn from its operative posit-ion. The inner end of the reduced portion 6 upon which the tin 19/-' is formed extends some distance beyond the inner end of the sleeve when the fret key is adjusted for use and serves to hold said key against accidental withdrawal from the sleeve except when the fin is carefully registered with the slot 1l-, the relative positions of the slot and tin being such as to prevent the withdrawal of the key when the latter is in its normal position of rest and also when it is adjusted to its fretting position so that in order to remove or insert the key, it must be adjusted to an intermediate position in registration with the slot 11-. A portion of one side of one end of the and 8 for engaging opposite sidesof'the cam or eccentric 7 and thereby limiting the rocking movement of the key to slightly more than a quarter turn, For example, the

shoulder 13 '"li mits the 'return movement of the key from its fretting-position to a substantially vertical position midway between the strings, while theishoulder 13 permits the cam to he. moved slightly above a horizontal plane so;tha t;the :pressure' of the string-against theledge-of the cam will tend to hold it against the stop shoulder -13'-- against the action ofa retracting spring which serves to hold the key in its normal or inoperative'position against vibration or accidental contact ,with the string.- This spring-;-is preferably: coiled around the outer end ofthe sleeve'and has one end secured thereto and its other end bearing against the side of the cam-adj acent the string with which it :isadapted-to enyieldinglylholdingr their; respective keys against said stops.

4. A harp haying rotarily adjustable fret keys, separate-sets of stops for limiting the movement of their respective keys in "reverse directions, and retracting springs for-said keys normally holding them out of engagement with the strings.

5. A harp having rotarily adjustable fret keys, separatenon-rotatable bearing sleeves for the keys, stops onthe bearing sleeves for limiting the turning movementof the corresponding keys, and separate retracting springs for said keys.

v 7 W its sleeve is cut away to form stop shoulders 13* and 13' as best seen in Figsi l', 6"

' 6, In combination with a neck of a harp,

separate bearing sleeves secured therein against rotation, androtarily adjustable fret keys journaled in said sleeves. 7. In combination with the neck of a harp, fseparate metal bearing sleeves secured therein against rotation, fret keys rotarily adjustable in saidsleeyes, and separate retract- -ing springs for the fret keys.

8. A harp having-rotarily adjustable-fret keys, separate, bearings therefor, said keys having means coacting withgportions of their respective sleeves to,prevent accidental withr 'drawal of the keys from said sleeves. V- w 9. A harp having'rotarily adjustable fret keys and non-rotatable sleeve bearings therefor, fins on the keys coacting with portions of theiri respective sleeves to prevent accidental withdrawal of thekeys when adjusted rotarilv to a predetermined position. a. 1 10.? Aharp having rotarily adjustable fret keys and bearings therefor slotted lengthwise through one side, said keys being provided with fins movable into registration with their respective slots to permit their withdrawal from the sleeves, said fins coactmg with portions of the sleeves to hold the keys against withdrawal Whenthe fins are not registered with the, slots. I l

11., In combination with the neck of a harp, separate bearingsleeves secured in said neck against rotation and provided with limiting stops, and fret keys adjustablerotarily in their respective sleeves and having portions thereof coacting with said stops to limit theirfturning movement.

12. In combination with the neck of a harp, separate bearing sleeves secured in said neck against rotation and provided with limiting stops, fret keys adjustable rotarily in said sleeves and having portions thereof coacting with the stops to limit their turning movement, and separate retracting springs for the keys.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 20th day of November 1911.

MELVILLE A. CLARK.

lVitnesses: 4

H. E. CHASE, E. F. SPEAKING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of'Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

